Productivity on the Construction Site

Abstract: On-site productivity in construction rose dramatically in the years after World War II as tasks were mechanized and larger equipment introduced. But in the past 10 years, that had gone about as far as it could go; since 1965 or so, inflation and new regulations have hurt. Some huge jobs like nuclear power plants have had poor labor productivity. What to do to boost productivity was discussed at ASCE's Construction Productivity Conference in August 1976. Among suggested actions here reported: Give national construction unions more power to control their hundreds of locals. Cut seasonal and economic-cycle swings in construction volume that hurt labor.